Vulcanizer-press.



A. ADAMSON. VULGANIZER PRESS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1910. 988,295, Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

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INVENTOR- 5 M A? W J/exanorflolzmson W 5 4 BY fiwff/ mine-556s.- 0

ALEXANDER ADAMSON, OF AKRON, OHIO.

vULoANIznR-PREss.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed November 11, 1910. Serial No. 591,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER AoAMsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vulcanizer-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vulcanizing presses for holding the various sections of a mold firmly together during the vulcanization of the articles contained therein.

The object of the invention is to provide a vulcanizing press of the class described embodying a reciprocallymovable, fluidoperated ram or plunger for clamping the mold sections together within a vulcanizing receptacle, one end of which is connected with the ram cylinder and the other provided with ahead which is held in place by mechanism with which it is provided, interlooking with cooperating means on the open end of the vulcanizer. This head when in its closed position constitutes a closure means for the vulcanizer and also acts as an abutment against which the nest of molds are forced. when clamped by the head of the ram or plunger, and when unlocked from engagement with the vulcanizer is raised in unisonwith the molds for the loading and unloading of the press. When the head is raised to its upper position to open the vulcanizer it is then sustained by suitable mechanism to permit free access to the interior of the press.

The invention especially contemplates providing the joint between-the upper end of the vulcanizer andthe under face of the head'with a packing ring of such construction that the use of bolts or the clamping of the two members together is unnecessary, it

being sufficiently expansible to close the joint hermetically notwithstanding a slight separation of the vulcanizer and head, and retained thus by the employment of a fluid under pressure.

A further object of the invention is to so" construct the device that the body of the vulcanizer not only serves as a receptacle for the vulcanizing fluid as well as the support for the head or abutment for the ram but also the sole connection between them.

Withthe foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts constituting'the invention to'be here-i annular laterally-extending flange 2.

body commonly consisting of a inafter specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings whichiform a part hereof wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto ap pended. v

In the drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate like parts in the different figures: Figure 1 is a vertical, central, sectional view of a device embodying this, invention. Fig. 2 is a plan; and, Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view enlarged; of the locking means for the vulcanizer head.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 1 denotes a hollow. ram cylinder provided at its upper and within T e diameter of the interior of the lower portion of the cylinder is enlarged to provide a chamber 3 to which an operating fluid is admitted and withdrawn through a suitable aperture 4. Above the chamber 3 the diameter of the cylinder is reduced to the proper bore at 5 to receive a ram and above this the portion is again enlarged to receive a packing-gland 6 mounted on the flange 2. The ram cylinder is usually positioned freely in a well 7 extending below a floor 8, although the manner of supporting the device 1S entirely arbitrary with the user thereof.

The vulcanizer body comprises a base 9 having a horizontal lower end 10 provided with a central opening to receive the ram cylinder 1, permitting the annular flange 2 to rest thereon. From this lower end 10 which is less in diameter than the vulcanizer body extends an outwardlyflaring vwall 11 terminating in an annular flange 12., In this wall 11 is a drainage opening adapted to receive a pipe by which the condensation is carried away.

The outer face of. the base 9 is provided with outwardly-projecting integral 'radial wings 19 which rest on the floor 8 and serve to support the entire device. Mounted in the cylinder-1 is a ram or plunger 14? operated by pressure or absence of pressure in the chamber ,3. Mounted on the upper end of the ram 14 is a head 15 oomprisinga hub 16 from which extend ribs 17 v to supportan annular rim 18.-

Mounted on the base 9 is the vulcanizer h'eet metal cylinder 20, the-lower end of w hich is secured to the flange 1.2 by suitable holdfast devices such as rivets 21. The vulcanizing fluid is introduced to the interior of the cylinder 20 through an opening 22 into which is usually secured a pipe from a suitable source of supply. The interior of the cylinder 20 is sufficient to permit the free reciprocal movement of the head 15 and th upper end thereof isopen.

Mounted on the upper end of the cylinder 20 is an annular member 23 having a depending cylindrical flange 2 1 lapping the outer face of the vulcanizer body 20 and secured thereto by suitable means as rivets 25. Above the flange is an integral horizontally-projecting portion or flange 26 the upper face of which constitutes a seat. At the outer portion of the flange 26 is an upwardly-extending integral, annular flange 27 provided at the top on the inner face thereof with a series of spaced, integral inwardly-extending lugs 28. Secured on the lugs 28 on opposite sides of the flange 27 are a pair of posts 29 extending upwardly a short distance for a purpose to be later described.

In the upper face of the horizontal flange 26 is an annular groove 30 (see Fig. to constitute a seat for an annular packingring 31 having a groove in the lower face thereof arranged to expand laterally and upwardly by admitting a fluid under pres-' sure to the bottom of the groove 30 below the ring 31 which may be accomplished through the medium of a duct 32 tapped to receive the end of a pipe (not shown).

The cover of the vulcanizer comprises an inverted saucer-shaped member 33 across the interior of which extend a plurality of strength-giving radial ribs 34:. In the center of the cover is a screw-eye 35 for a purpose to be stated. The annular rim 9f the cover is provided with a series of outwardly-projecting lugs 36 spaced from each other a distance slightly less than the width of the spaces between the lugs 28 on the flange 2? to permit the lugs 36 to freely pass between the lugs 28. The lugs 36 are arranged to be passed between the lugs 28 and after a slight rotation of the cover to interlock behind the lugs 28. In order to effectually carry this out the lugs 35 are so placed that when they are interlocked, as stated, the lower face of the rim of the cover will slightly clear the upper face of the horizontal flange 26, so that easy horizontal rotation of the cover is secured and at the same time the expansion of the packing-ring 31, as already described, will cause it to close the joint between the cover and the flange 26. On the upper face of thecover' 33 are a pair of para le'l spaced lugs 37 radial to the center of the cover to provide means into which may be inserted a bar for rotating the same, as desired. 7

- The operation of the device is as follows: In order to fill the vulcanizer with molds the ram 14 is raised sufficiently to lift the cover 33 high enough to permit the lugs 36 thereofto rest on the top of the posts 29 which thus support the cover in an elevated position, after which the ram is slightly lowered and molds containing articles to be vulcanized are successively placed one upon another on top of the head 15 of the ram, the ram being intermittingly lowered to receive them, after which it is raised'sufliciently to remove the cover and is then lowered into the vulcanizer body 20 and the cover secured in position by a partial rotation sufficient to cause the lugs 36 to interlock behind the lugs 28, after which the ram 1 14 is raised sufliciently to clamp the tier of molds against the under'face of the cover 33. This is followed by the introduction of a fluid through the aperture 32, causing the packing-ring 31 to expand against the under" face of the rim of the cover 33 thereby closing the joint between the cover and the body of the vulcanizer. This is followed by the introduction of a vulcanizing fluid through the opening 22 which is maintained a sufficientlength of time to vulcanize the articles contained in the mold. After vul-' canization is accomplished the vulcanizer body-is drained through the opening 13 and the pressure on the packing-ri1ig 31 is released through the aperture 32, after which the cover is given a partial rotation to withdraw it from interlocking engagement with the lugs 28, and the ram is raised to return the cover to the pd'sition shown in dotted lines in Fig 1 and the molds are successively removed. laterally from the head 15, the latter being raised to eifect this andthe opera: tion is repeated.

I claim:

1. The combination of a vulcanizer body provided at the open end thereof with a plurality of inwardly-extending, spaced lugs, a cover for said vulcariizer body provided with a plurality of spaced outwardly-extending lugs arr'angedto interlock behind the lugs of said body, an expansibie fluid-operated packing-ring arranged to glose the joint between said body and cover, av ram arranged to reciprocate within said body and clamp molds containing articles to be vulcanized against said cover when the latter is interlocked with said body, the former serving as an abutment for said ram and the latter as sole support for said cover.

2. The combination of a vulcanizer body having one open end and means for the admission of a vulcanizing fluid thereto, interlocking means at the open end of said body,

a cover arranged to be detachably-intering molds against said cover and an expansible fluid-operated packing-ring for closing the joint between said cover and said body.

3. The combination of a vulcanizer body with one open end and having means for the admission of a vulcanizing fluid thereto, a cover for said open end, said body and cover provided with interlocking means for holding the latter in position, an expansible fluid-operated packing-ring suitably-mounted to close the joint between said body and cover and clamping means engaging the closed end of said body arranged to force molds containing articles to be vulcanized against said cover when in its closed position and raise said molds and said cover from said body when said cover is released from its interlock'ed position.

4. The combination of a vuloanizer body with orie'open end and having means for the admission of a vulcanizing fluid thereto, a cover for said open end, said body and cover provided with interlocking means for holding the latter in position, an expansible fluid-operated packing-ring suitably-mounted to close the joint between said body and cover, clamping means engaging the closed end of said body arranged to force molds containing articles to be vulcanized against said cover when in its closed position and raise said molds and said cover from said body when said cover is released from its interlocked position and means carried by said body for snpporting'said cover when in itsnpper or raised position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER ADAMSON.

\Vitnesses C. E. HUMPHREY, GLENARA Fox. 

